Crime
Pastor’ arrested with three drums of Mkpuru Mmiri
Pastor’ arrested with three drums of Mkpuru Mmiri
By Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said it has arrested a pastor, Anietie Effiong with three drums of crystal methamphetamine, locally called Mkpuru Mmiri, believed to have been imported from India.
A statement on Sunday by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi said: “A trans-border drug dealer, Pastor Anietie Okon Effiong has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with three drums of crystal methamphetamine, locally called Mkpuru Mmiri, believed to have been imported from India.”
He revealed that the consignment weighing 90 kilogrammes and loaded into a commercial bus with registration number RSH 691XC at Ojuelegba in Lagos was intercepted during a stop and search operation along Umuahia – Ikot Ekpene highway last Saturday.
According to him, the dangerous drug packed 30kg in each drum was meant for Pastor Effiong, who was arrested in a follow up operation at Oron beach in Oron, noting that the recovered Meth drums were meant for onward delivery to neighbouring Republic of Cameroon.
The latest clampdown is coming on the heels of four seizures of the same illicit substance weighing 4.074 kilogrammes going to Australia, Indonesia and Philippines with a 3 kilogrammes cannabis sativa heading to Dubai, United Arab Emirates at some courier companies in Lagos. The consignments were concealed in body cream, hot burner iron and beads.
Meanwhile, in Sokoto, a 90-year-old retired soldier, Usman Adamu was arrested last Wednesday in Mailalle, Sabon Birni LGA for supplying bandits illicit drugs. At the time of his arrest, the suspect was caught with 5.1 kilogrammes cannabis sativa.
At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, a 37-year-old
Nigerian resident in Italy; Solo Osamede was arrested for ingesting 41 wraps of heroin. He was nabbed and taken into custody for excretion while attempting to board a Turkish Airline flight to Milan, Italy via Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday 30th July.
According to Babafemi, the swallowed wraps of the illicit drug were recovered in four excretions, which the suspect completed on Monday 1st August.
In the same vein, a female passenger Jatau Lami was arrested at the Lagos airport for attempting to export 1,700 tablets of tramadol 225mg concealed in her luggage to Istanbul, Turkey via a Turkish Airline flight on Sunday 31st July.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect, a mother of three lives in Istanbul, Turkey with her family. She blamed her action on pressure to raise N5 million ransom to free her mother from the captivity of bandits who kidnapped her since June.
Also at the SAHCO export shed of the airport, attempts by some freight agents to export two consignments of cannabis in a consolidated cargo to Dubai, UAE last Thursday were thwarted by NDLEA operatives who have arrested two of them in follow up operations. They are: Oladipupo Fatai and Animashaun Qudus, while two others are still at large.
In Zamfara, NDLEA operatives last Thursday intercepted a truck from Benin, Edo state enroute Sokoto with 50,000 tablets of diazepam owned by a drug dealer, Umaru Attahiru, while in Kogi, 14 sacks containing 1,376 bottles of codeine based syrup weighing 190.4 kilogrammes were seized along Okene-Abuja highway last Wednesday. The exhibits were found in a delivery bus coming from Onitsha, Anambra and heading to Abuja. Follow up operation in Abuja same day led to the arrest of Jude Ikenna and Ozoemene Cornelius.
In Kaduna, four suspects: Sulaiman Rabi’u; Sanusi Sha’aibu; Ma’aruf Habibu and Christian Nnachor, were arrested in Zaria, Tafa and Romi Kaduna with 106, 770 tablets of tramadol 225mg, diazepam, Exol-5 and 100 bottles of codeine cough syrup.
In Enugu, 143.5 kilogrammes cannabis sativa was recovered from locked up stores in new market area of the state capital last, while in Delta, a suspect, Ike Okparachi, 42, was arrested at Abraka Junction, Asaba with 10,550 tablets of tramadol 225mg; Swinol; Rohypnol; and 3,105 bottles of codeine syrup as well as 69grams of Molly.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Retd) has commended the officers and men of the Akwa Ibom, MMIA, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kogi, Delta, Enugu, and Kaduna Commands of the agency as well as those of the Directorate of Operation and General Investigation, DOGI for their recent feats.
He however charged them and others across the country to remain focused and vigilant.
Crime
Terrorism: Woman bags 20 years jail term on DSS Charges of Unlawful Possession of 302 Rounds of Live Ammunition
Terrorism: Woman bags 20 years jail term on DSS Charges of Unlawful Possession of 302 Rounds of Live Ammunition
By: Zagazola Makama
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday sentenced a housewife, Halima Haliru Umar, to 20 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of 302 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition and supporting acts of terrorism.
The sentence was handed down by Justice Hauwa Joseph Yilwa after the defendant pleaded guilty to two out of a four-count charge filed against her by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice Yilwa held that the growing menace of banditry and terrorism in the country had become a serious threat to national security and should not be handled with leniency.
The judge noted that although the convict appeared remorseful and pleaded for mercy, offences connected to terrorism and arms trafficking remained grave threats to the safety of citizens.
The court heard that the convict admitted serving as a courier for the transportation of ammunition intended for bandits operating in Plateau State.
During the trial, the first prosecution witness and DSS operative, Fahad Tahir, told the court that the accused was arrested on July 6, 2025, with 302 rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition and N57,100 cash while allegedly transporting the items to armed bandits in Plateau.
According to Tahir, the defendant made a confessional statement in Hausa language at the DSS Plateau State Command, where she disclosed that one Alhaji Sani had sent her to Zaria in Kaduna State to procure the ammunition from another individual.
The witness further stated that the accused was later transferred to the DSS National Headquarters in Abuja on Aug. 11, 2025, where another interview was conducted in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council.
He said the defendant again admitted ownership and transportation of the ammunition and cash exhibits.
The prosecution counsel, Dr. Callistus Samson Ezeh, tendered the 302 rounds of ammunition, the cash sum of N57,100, and the defendant’s statements as exhibits before the court.
The exhibits were admitted without objection from defence counsel, Hamza Dantani.
In open court, the defendant also admitted being in possession of the ammunition and cash at the time of her arrest.
One of the charges stated that the convict knowingly rendered support for acts of terrorism by transporting 302 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition between Katsina and Plateau States, contrary to Section 13(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Another charge accused her of unlawful possession of ammunition contrary to Section 8(1) of the Firearms Act, 2004.
The DSS also accused the defendant of concealing information about suspected gunrunners and kidnappers allegedly linked to terrorist activities.
Following her guilty plea and review of the evidence presented, Justice Yilwa convicted and sentenced the defendant to 20 years imprisonment.
Terrorism: Woman bags 20 years jail term on DSS Charges of Unlawful Possession of 302 Rounds of Live Ammunition
Troops Discover 7,800 Litres of Stolen Crude Oil in Rivers State
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 343 Artillery Regiment (Army) deployed at Oando Oil Company in Omoku have uncovered a large cache of illegally refined crude oil concealed within the riverine area of Ebocha Egi LII in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Security sources said the discovery was made at about 9:40 a.m. on May 13 during a routine patrol and surveillance operation in the area.
The troops reportedly recovered about 7,800 litres of suspected illegally refined crude oil, stored in 130 sacks and concealed along the riverine corridor.
According to the sources , the recovered products were handled in line with existing directives under Operation Delta Safe.
Military authorities stated that follow-up operations were ongoing to track down individuals and networks involved in crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the region.
Troops Discover 7,800 Litres of Stolen Crude Oil in Rivers State
Troops Intercept Vehicle Conveying Illegal Diesel in Bayelsa
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 16 Brigade Garrison operating under the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), have intercepted a vehicle conveying about 400 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Security sources said the interception occurred at about 3:10 p.m. on May 12, 2026, along the Oruma–Kolocreek road during ongoing anti-illegal bunkering operations in the area.
According to the sources, the suspect abandoned the vehicle and fled upon sighting the troops approaching the area.
The vehicle and the illegally refined petroleum products were subsequently handled in accordance with operational directives guiding Operation Delta Safe activities.
The military has sustained operations across the Niger Delta to curb crude oil theft, illegal refining and related economic sabotage threatening the nation’s oil infrastructure.
Troops Intercept Vehicle Conveying Illegal Diesel in Bayelsa
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